Grading machine



Feb. 7,1939. J. wvJoHNsToN GRADING MACHINE 5`Sheets-Sheet l lr'p/Erlfmr:

Filed July 27, 1936 UUIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIVW f5 4 VM Feb. 7,1939. J. w,JQHNSTON 2,146,217

GRADING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 7,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRADING MACHINE Application July 27,1936, Serial No. 92,777

13 Claims.

This invention relates to grading machines of the kind which gradeblanks or pieces of sheet material, such as leather, -in accordance withthe thickness lof the thinnest spot as determined by the detector, andmore particularly to the Wellknown Nichols grading machines of thegeneral kind shown in a number of patents to Elmer P. Nichols, LeanderA. Cogswell and James W. Johnston, a characteristic example of whichwill I? be found in the Nichols PatentNo. 1,130,321 dated March 2, 1915.

In my application Serial No. 78,627 led May 8, 1936, Patent No.2,093,694 dated September 21, 1937, to -which reference is hereby made,I deliliV scribed a long strip grading machine, so called,

in which the `marking or stamping device was operated by the rear ortrailing `end of the blank passing through the machine instead of by theadvance `or leading end, with the result that the 2U marking device wasactuated only after the blank,

no matter how long, had been measured its entire length. In this machinethe marking was applied near the rear or trailing end of the blank andat a definite and invariable distance from that end. There was noprovision for varying the position of `the marking with relation to theend of the blank.

A principal object ofthe present invention is to provide for varying theposition of the marking 80` on the blank by varying the time when themarking device will be operated by the trailing end of the passing blankwith relationrto the travel of the blank through the machine.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate necessary to anunderstanding of the present invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a grading machiney embodying `theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scaleof parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail partly in section and partly in plan on an 4enlargedscaleof a portion `of the mechanism shown in Fig., 2.

The machine contains the usual pair of de- 50 tecting `or `measuringrolls II] and II between which the blanks B are fed forwardly in thedirection of the arrows into position beneath -a marking wheel I2 whichis automatically adjusted to register .the thinnest spot of the blank asfound by the detecting rolls and is then automatically such parts of aNichols grading machine as areV reciprocated vertically so as to strikeagainst and mark the top side of the blank.

During the passage of the blank between the detecting rolls I6 and IIthe thickness of its thinnest part is detected and measured and the `5lower roll III, which `moves up and down in response `to variations `inthickness of the blank, acts through the usual setting mechanism toadjust the marking wheel I2 to accord with the thickness of the thinnestpart of the blank as determined by the detecting rolls. The periphery ofthe marking wheel I2 is provided as usual with ty-pes to indicatenumerals or characters designating different thicknesses or grades, andduring the passage of the blank between the detecting rolls the lowerroll actuates the usual setting mechanism automatically to adjust themarking wheel angularly so as to :bring the appropriate type intomarking position.

The frame of the machine as usual is provided with a shelf or table I3on which the blanks B are successively fed forwardly, either manually orautomatically, to the detecting and measuring rolls Il)` and -II whichare continuously rotated. The upper roll I is jour-naled in normallyfixed bearing boxes and is continuously driven through gearing by thecontinuously rotating main drive shaft I4. The two measuring rolls areprovided at ltheir ends with intermeshing gears so that the upper rolldrives the lower roll thereby positively to feed the blank forwardlyinto position between the presser bar I5 and a continuously travelingfeed chai-n IB. The feed chain i6 is driven by the main shaft I4 throughthe usual gearing and after the rear vend of the blank leaves themeasuring rolls I0 and -II the `forward movement of the blank iscontinued by the feed chain I6 until the rear end of the -blank is aboutopposite the marking wheel I2.

When the advance end of a blank being fed into the machine emerges frombetween the measuring rolls I- and II it operates a start grading tripIl (Fig. 2) thereby causing the pawl or detent I8 (Fig. 1) to engage theusual ratchet wheel I9 which constitutes part of the setting mechanismby which the lower measuring roll adjusts the marking wheel I2. From thetime the leading end of the blank actuates the start grading trip I'Iuntil just as its trailing end is about to pass the measuring rolls .IUand I.I, during which time 50 the pawl I8 will remain in engagement withits teeth .on ratchet wheel i9; the .paw-121 will remain disengaged fromits` teeth on ratchet wheel I9. Consequently the measurement .of `theblank for the thinnest spot, as .determined by the detecting 55 rolls I0and I I, will be preserved and will be transmitted to the marking wheelI2 in the manner well known in machines of this type.

Each blank is fed forwardly on table I3 beneath the usual pivoted gatewhich, at the time the blank first enters the nip of rolls I0 and I I,is held in elevated position by link 2l and lever 22, the latter beingfulcrumed at 23 on the frame of the machine and having a downwardlyextending arm carrying a cam following roll 28 which cooperates with acam 24 forming a part of or lixed to the start grading trip I1. When theleading end of the blank emerges from between the detecting rolls I0 andI I and swings the trip arm I1 to the left on its pivot 25 (Fig. 2) thecam 24 is also swung to the left and thereby raises right-hand end oflever 22 and lowers the right-hand end of lever 22 thus permitting thegate 20 to rest on top of the blank. When the trailing end of theadvancing blank passes out from under the gate 20 the gate falls to thetable (which is permitted by the slotted connection between link 2I andlever 22) and acts through link 26 (Fig. 1) to engage the usual stopgrading pawl 21 with ratchet wheel I9. The ratchet wheel I8 is nowlocked by the pawls I8 and 21 against movement in either direction andconsequently the marking wheel I2 is similarly locked in its graderegistering adjustment against rotation in either direction. Theengagement of the stop grading pawl 21 with ratchet wheel I9 occurs justbefore the rear end of the blank passes the detecting rolls I0 and II sothat the blank will have been measured throughout substantially itswhole length.

The cam following roll 28 of the lever 22 is as usual disposed beneath ashort arm 29 fast on a rock shaft 3l] (Figs. 2 and 4). Fixed to the rockshaft 30 near the middle of the machine is a longitudinally extendingarm 3l to which is adjustably affixed a weighted blank-engaging shoe 32.The shoe 32 is of usual construction except that its blank-engaging feet33, which straddle the feed chain I6, are somewhat longer than in thestandard Nichols machine so that by adjustment of the shoe on arm 3| thefeet can be placed nearer the marking wheel I2 than heretofore, ifdesired. The shoe 32 is raised when cam 24 acts through roll 28 and arm29 to rock the shaft 30. When the blank has moved forwardly out ofengagement with the trip I1 the latter is restored to its normalposition by the usual spring and allows the shoe 32 to rest on top ofthe blank. Thus the engagement of the shoe 32 with the top of the blankmaintains the pawl I8 in engagement with the ratchet wheel I9 until therear end of the blank has passed out from under the shoe 32, whereuponthe latter falls and disengages the detent I8 from ratchet wheel I9.Simultaneously, when the shoe 32 drops off from the end of the blank thearm 29 on rock shaft 30 swings downwardly and thereby acts through lever22 and links 2| and 28 to open the gate 20 and to disengage the pawl 21.Thus both locks I8 and 21 are unlocked to release the marking mechanismfor a new adjustment by a succeeding blank as the trailing end of eachblank passes the shoe 32.

The marking wheel I2 is fixed to a shaft journaled as usual in a bearingat the lower end of the vertically movable slide or plunger 34, which isstrongly and yieldingly urged downward by a spring 35 but which isnormally held in elevated position by the usual cam, not shown, which ismounted on the inner end of shaft 3B (Fig. l). Shaft 36 is connectedthrough the usual train of gears 31 with a gear 38, the outer face ofwhich constitutes one member of a onerevolution-and-stop clutch. Thegear 38 is splined to move axially on a stud shaft 39 (Figs. 1 and 2).The other member of the clutch is provided on the inner face of a gear4D which is mounted to rotate freely on shaft 39 and is continuouslydriven by a gear 4I on the main drive shaft I4.

The clutch gear 38 is controlled by the usual shipper member 42, whichis pivotally mounted at 43 on the frame of the machine. This shippermember as usual carries a spring-pressed latch 44 (Figs. l and 2) and isnormally maintained in a position to hold the gear clutch member 38retracted and disengaged by means of the usual spring 45 (Fig. 2).

When the shipper member 42 is swung toward thel right it is disengagedfrom the gear clutch member 38 and the latter is thrown forward by theusual spring, not shown, into engagement with the gear clutch member 40,whereupon the clutch member 38 makes one revolution, at the end of whichit is again retracted and stopped by the shipper member 42. Thisrotation of the clutch member 38 acts through the train of gearing 31 toimpart a single revolution to the shaft 36 which results in theoperation of the marking wheel I2 by causing the slide 34 to make onereciprocation.

'I'he lower end of the latch 44 is cooperatively disposed with relationto an arm 48 pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine at 48a (Fig.l). The movement of arm 48 to the left, that is, in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. l), will carry the upper end of arm 48 past the latchslide 44, the latter yielding upwardly to permit the arm 4S to pass whenthe end of arm 48 engages the beveled end of the latch 44, and as soonas the arm 48 has passed the latch slide 44 the latter is againprojected downwardly by its spring into the path of arm 48. When the arm48 is thereafter swung back toward the right, in a clockwise direction,it will engage the straight side 0f latch 44 and swing the shippermember 42 with it. This return movement of the arm 48 iirst causes theengagement of clutch member 38 with clutch member 40 after whichcontinued movement of the arm 48 carries it out of engagement with thelatch 44 and thereby permits spring 45 (Fig. 2) to restore the shippermember 42 to its normal position in time to retract and disengage thegear clutch member 38 from the clutch member 40 as it completes onerevolution.

The single revolution thus imparted to the shaft 38 acts through theusual cam on the inner end of said shaft to raise the slide 34 againstthe pressure of spring 35 and then to release it whereupon the springforces the slide downward causing the wheel I2 to strike and mark theblank.

It will be observed that this operation of slide 34 is effected only bythe movement of arm 48` toward the right (Fig. 1).

The frame work of the machine includes the usual bed plate 50 (Figs. 2and 3) which extends from the measuring rolls to a point just beyond themarking wheel I2 and supports the part of the blank which is struck bythe marking wheel.

The construction and mode of operation of the machine as thus fardescribed may be substantially the same as that of the already wellknownNichols grading machines.

The principal `object of the present invention is to make it possible tovary the time, with respect to the travel of the blank past the markingwheel |2, when the marking wheel will be actuated so that the blank willbe marked at any desired distance from the rear or trailing end oi theblank within limitations imposed by the dimensions of the machine.

To this end the arm 48, which initiates the operation of the markingdevice, is connected by a link 49 with an arm 5| fast on the end of arock shaft 52. The shaft 30 instead of being solid as heretofore is madehollow orvtubular and the rock shaft 52 extends loosely through thetubular shaft 30. Fixed to rock shaft 52 is a depending arm 53 (Figs. 2and 3) the lower end of which is connected by a straight link or bar 54with the end of a similar depending arm 55 pivoted at 56 on a bracketfixed to the frame of the machine. The two arms 53 and 55 are paralleland of the same length and support the bar 54 in a position lengthwiseof the machine in proximity to and parallel with `the path of the blankspassing through the machine. Y

Adjustably mounted on the bar 54 is a depending trip 51 whose lower endis normally in the path of the blanks. The trip 51 has a beveled orinclined front face and is made with an upper yoke portion 58 whichembraces the link 54 and is fixed in adjustedposition on the link 54 bya set screw 59. A spring B (Figs. 1 and 2) nor- Inally urges the partsjust described toward the right with the trip 51 occupying itslo-wermost position in the path of the blanks and the arm j 48 against astop 6| (Fig. 1).

, shaft 52, arm .and link 4.9 to swing the arm 48 toward the left(Fig. 1) .past the lower end of the latch 44, where it remains so longas trip 51 is held up by the blank and until they trailing end of theblank passes clear of the trip 51,

whereupon the spring 50 acts through arm 5| and link 49 to return arm 48to its position against stop 5| and also acts through sai-d arm 5|, rockshaft 52 and .arm 53 to restore the bar 54 to its lowermost position.

During the movement of the arm 48 toward the right under the inuence ofspring 60 it rst engages latch 44 and operates the shipper member 42, asalready described, to effect a marking operation of the marking wheelI2. The end of arm 48 then passes beyond and out of engagement with thelatch 44 thereby permitting the spring 45 (Fig. 2) immediately torestore the shipper member to its normal position so that it willdisengage the clutch gear 38 as the latter completes its singlerevolution.

By adjusting the trip 51 lengthwise of the bar 54 it will be observedthat the marking stroke of the type wheel I2 which is eifectedby thepassage of the trailing end of the blank outfrom under trip 51 may betimed with relation to the passage of the blank so as to mark the blankat varying distances, as desired, from the rear or trailing end of theblank.

I claim:

1. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks: of stock according to thickness, an adjustablemarking device responsive to the detecting mechanism, control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of a blankpassing through the machine for actuating the marking device to mark theblank and means to vary the position on the blank at which the markingdevice will apply its mark.

, 2. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stockaccording to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of `a blankpassing through the machine for actuating the marking device to mark theblank and means to vary the time when the marking device will beactuatedowith `relation to the travel of the blank through the machine.

3. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustablemarkinjg device responsive to the detecting mechanism, and controlmechanism constructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end ofa blank passing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a movable bar extending lengthwise of the machine inproximity to the path of the blanks and a trip fixed tothe bar andnormally projecting into the path of the blanks.

4. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, and control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of a blankpassing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a movable bar extending lengthwise of the machine inproximity to the path of the blanks and a trip xed to the bar andadjustable lengthwise thereon and normally projecting into the path ofthe blanks in all positions of adjustment of the trip.

5. A grading machine comprisingl detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustableVmarking device responsive to the detecting mechanism, 'and controlmechanism constructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end ofa blank passing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a i movable bar above and parallel to the path ofthe blanks and a trip fixed to the bar and normally projecting into thepath of the blanks.

v6. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, and control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of a blankpassing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a movable bar parallel to the path of the blanks anda trip fixed to the bar and adjustable lengthwise thereon` and normallyprojecting into the path of the blanks.

7. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable marking`device responsive to the detecting mechanism, and control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of a blankpassing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a movable bar extending lengthwise of the machine inproximity to the path of the blanks, a pair of swinging arms by whichthe bar is supported so as to be movable endwise and away from the pathof the blanks, and a trip xed to the bar and adjustable lengthwisethereon and normally projecting into the path of the blanks.

8. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, and control mechanismconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of a blankpassing through the machine to operate the marking device, saidmechanism including a movable bar parallel to the path of the blanks, apair of swinging arms by which the bar is supported so as to be movableendwise in parallelism with and away from the path of the blanks, and atrip fixed to the bar and adjustable lengthwise thereon and normallyprojecting into the path of the blanks.

9. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, and mechanism including atrip engaging the top side of a blank passing through the machine andconstructed and arranged to be operated by the trailing end of the blankfor effecting the operation of the marking device to mark the blank.

10. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, a movable trip normally inthe path of a blank passing through the machine for operating themarking device, said trip being adapted to be displaced and to be helddisplaced by the blank without operating the marking mechanism so longas it is engaged by the blank and to cause the 0peration of the markingdevice when the trailing end of the blank passes the trip, and means toadjust the trip lengthwise of the machine to vary the time when themarking device will be operated with relation to the travel of the blankthrough the machine.

1l. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, an endwise movable barextending lengthwise of the machine in proximity to the path of theblanks, a trip carried by the bar and normally extending into the pathof the blanks by which the bar is displaced and held displaced so longas the trip is engaged by a passing blank, means to return the movablebar to its normal position when the trailing end of the blank passes thetrip, and mechanism controlled by the return movement of the bar tooperate the marking device.

12. A grading machine comprising detecting mechanism for measuringsuccessive blanks of stock according to thickness, an adjustable markingdevice responsive to the detecting mechanism, an endwise movable barextending lengthwise of the machine in proximity to the path of theblanks, a trip carried by the bar and normally extending into the pathof the blanks by which the bar is displaced and held displaced so longas the trip is engaged by a passing blank, means to return the movablebar to its normal position when the trailing end of the blank passes thetrip, and mechanism controlled by the return movement of the bar tooperate the marking device, said trip being adjustable lengthwise on thebar to vary the time when the marking device will be operated withrelation to the travel of the blank through the machine.

13. In a machine as dened in claim 7, mechanism through which thesetting of the marking device in response to the measurements of thedetecting mechanism is started, said mechanism including a hollow rockshaft, and a rock shaft extending through and rotatable within saidhollow rock shai't and constituting part of the mechanism for operatingthe marking device.

JAMES W. JOHNSTON.

